Parasols, Packages and Primroses
by AlBhedNikki
Summary: It's been years since The Last Battle, and Lucy is 20 years old. She yearns for a small piece of Narnia as she lives in England. Will Aslan grant her that wish? Oneshot


Parasols, Packages and Primroses

Warning: Could contain spoilers to those who have not read the books.

Disclaimer: I do not own Lucy, Mr. Tumnus or the rights to the Chronicles of Narnia. All rights belong to C.S. Lewis.

Spring, the best time of the year. The weather becomes warmer, bees are buzzing, flowers are blooming and the snow gives way to reveal soft green grass... or so it's supposed to be. A twenty years old Lucy Pensive opened her eyes, and gazed out the windows of the flower shop she sat in. The young lady sat with her chin in her hand, her elbow on the counter and a glazed look in her eyes. The beautiful spring weather was very inviting the past few weeks that entered into march, but now instead of a street alive with cheery pedestrians, it was covered with a thick layer of fresh snow.

Lucy hated it. The snow had so many memories: good and bad. The fight with the White Witch, the beavers and meeting Mr. Tumnus... oh poor Mr. Tumnus. She had been throughly excited when she entered Aslan's Garden. She thought she would be staying there forever. She begged him to stay, and was scared to come back to England; her place was never there. Her brothers and her always battled with the thought that they had dreamed it all up. Had their bodies really been destroyed on that train accident like Aslan said? What a shock it was to them when they woke up on the same train only a few minutes later at their next stop.

Lucy sighed and looked at the coo coo clock perched on a shelf next to her. It was ten after four in the evening, which meant she had just two hours left till her day ended and she could head home. She let out another sigh and returned to her dreamy state, which she would have stayed in all day if her boss, Miss. Penny, hadn't called out to her from the back.

"Lucy! Oh girl, wake up and come help me move these soil bags out of the snow." Miss. Penny yelled out. Lucy sluggishly got up from her seat and walked heavy-footed to the back. Miss. Penny was a very small bird and always a strange woman, quite off her trolley and not too pleasant to work for. She was an old bird whom was none too cheery most of the time. A woman who never got married and never had kids, which is most likely why she was so mean. She never gets along with others, and spends most of her time lecturing Lucy on why kids are so bloody lazy and how back in her day insolence would be taken with a few lashes on the butt.

Lucy always towered over Miss. Penny, and in the back of her mind always thought that if she could get in one small kick it would make her feel so much better. Today was not the day to do it though; she was getting in a chance to be rid of her for a bit while she was out in the snow. "Just bring the bags in and place them in the corner. I don't want them freezing anymore from the snow. I'll be up front when you're done." While Miss. Penny was lecturing Lucy she was putting her warm winter coat on. Sadly she had forgotten her gloves, and was dreading handling the cold bags. One by one she brought them all in until ten large bags filled the corner of the room. Lucy began to shed her coat off when she heard the bell on the front door ring, and Miss. Penny's greeting.

"Hello sir, what can I do fo' ya?"

"Just taking a gander." the customer said. Lucy wouldn't have paid him any attention except that the voice sounded strangely familiar. She couldn't have pinpointed it, except for he sounded to be about Susan's age, so he was quite young.

"Right, well let me know when you're ready." Miss. Penny stuck her old, wrinkled head into the back. "Lucy, bring me out some Primroses. We have none out on the display."

Lucy went a couple shelves over and grabbed a small potted Primrose plant. She would have put it up on the display, if she had not seen the customer who was standing there.

Just a few feet from her stood a tall, fair skinned man with curly dirty blonde hair, and blue eyes. He had a green scarf wrapped around his neck which accompanied his red sweater. His white parasol was tucked under one arm while a wrapped brown package was in his other hand. He had such a shy look on his face which was so familiar. Mr. Tumnus... was standing in front of her.

A crash woke her up from her dazed thoughts of the past. The potted Primrose which was in her hands crashed to her feet. Pieces of the pot flew across the floor as the soil seemed to melt all around the flowers. Sadly Miss. Penny was the first one to speak.

"Lucy! For heavens sake child you are so clumsy! You've made that plant a real dogs dinner." Miss. Penny began to scramble around looking for the dust pan and broom. "You know this is coming out of todays pay."

Lucy let out a little groan and found her voice again. "I'm sorry Miss. Penny... my hands were still cold from outside." She would have finished her plea if the Mr. Tumnus look alike hadn't spoken.

"No, it's fine. I'll pay for it. My mum loves those flowers."

Lucy and Miss. Penny both looked at him, then to eachother. Miss. Penny was the first one to speak. "Dear, wouldn't you like one which hasn't been dropped?"

"No, no that one is fine. I'll just need another pot."

Lucy didn't have to be told what to do next. She went outside and into the cold to go grab an empty pot, but her hands were shaking too hard to be able to grab one right away. Holding back tears she sank down against the cold wall and tried to regain her composure. Was that really Mr. Tumnus? She thought to herself. It was the same voice, same gentle look on his face... but as a human. She knew she had to be batty with longing to be in Narnia now. How could he show up in London!

Standing up she took a deep breath and nicked one of the pots. Entering back inside she took the flower and some extra potting soil and put it on the counter. She tried avoiding the piercing look of the man in front of her by looking down at the register. "Two pounds..." She murmured still trying to avoid his gaze.

"It's for my mum, you know. She's a little sick these days... and I thought this would cheer her up." he said as he handed her the money. She dared to take a glance at him and noticed the reddening in his cheeks and his gaze now trying to avoid hers.

"Oh, well, she'll like this then. When the snow melts she could plant it. Lovely flowers they are." Lucy said.

"Thomas..." He seemed to accidently blurt out.

"Excuse me?" Lucy said, with a small smile growing on her face.

"My... my name is Thomas." He stuttered as he took a hold of the flower. He looked at her and gave a small smile too. Lucy could feel her face growing hot and cold at his smile.

"Oh, well, it's a pleasure Mr. Thomas."

They stood there for a moment in awkward silence until Thomas spoke.

"Have I met you before? I mean, you do look quite familiar."

"No, no we haven't." Lucy said and reverted her gaze to the clock which now read half till five.

"Oh, well I feel like I've known you before." Sighed Thomas. He then put the package under his arm, the flower in his hand and pulled out his parasol. "Well then, I must be off. It was a pleasure Miss. Lucy."

Lucy nodded and smiled at Thomas as he left, watching him open his parasol under the gentle fall of snow on the street. She wanted to cry, to run up to him as she did when she was a child and give him a hug. Her feet felt as though they were made of stone, but her heart swelled with renewed happiness. Was Aslan trying to give her a little piece of Narnia? Oh how seeing him made her yearn for her old country, for Cair Paravel, for the trees that danced and the animals that told her stories. She wished she could feel Aslan's velvet paws and soft mane again, or smell the fresh sea air from her terrace.

Two hours went by, when they only seemed like minutes to her. It was six thirty when she finished up her final chores and stood outside the shop and locking it up. She plunged her freezing hands into her coat, along with the key and began to make her way up the street towards her home. It would have been a normal, long walk back to her home, but of course this had not been a normal day.

Lucy's heart fluttered a little as she saw Thomas coming down the same sidewalk, holding his parasol over his head. Her face began to turn red again, and hoped that she could blame it on the cold.

"Miss. Lucy, I'm glad I was hoping I could catch you before you left for the night." Said the smiling Thomas.

"Yes, well I had to do some cleaning tonight. I stayed over a little bit.." She knew she was rambling at this point. "...but what can I do for you? Did your mum enjoy her Primroses?"

"Oh yes, she thought they were lovely. Actually, I'm on my way to a Tavern to join some of my mates. I was wondering if you'd like to join me? I mean, you don't have to drink anything. I myself will be having tea, but it's a tradition to go once a week." He was speaking so nervously, and must have realized that he was. "I don't mean to bother you if you need to get home though."

Lucy smiled, "I'd love to go."

Thomas' face lit up. "Great! It's just a little down the way, not too far. I promise you'll be home in time to get some rest tonight." He held out his arm which held the parasol, and Lucy gently took it. They began walking towards the tavern when Lucy spoke up.

"Mr. Thomas..."

"You can just call me Thomas."

"Well... Thomas, what is the name of this tavern?"

"Oh, it's name 'The Lions Mane.' It's only been open for a few months, but it's quite nice."

Lucy could have laughed and hugged him in joy. The Lions Mane? Oh Aslan you lovely, wonderful lion! "It does sound nice." She finally replied.

They didn't walk on in silence, but began to chat about their families, lives, schooling, and even about the little flower shop. Lucy had not doubt in her mind that Aslan was watching over her, and sent her a little piece from Narnia, just to see a smile on her face.


End file.
